Chapter Summaries

Xia Muling studied the Slime's Avatar at the Tohsaka residence and concluded it was monster matter linked to a Phantasmal Species, while Lin worried about the person behind it and Ser's role. On the second day of the Three-Day Contract, Jiang Rui assessed the remaining Servants and the dangers surrounding his side.

• Xia Muling reported that scans of the Slime's Avatar revealed only highly active Slime mucus and no spatial coordinates.
• Xia Muling suggested the Slime had been used as a sacrificial offering to summon a substitute, and said the culprit's main sequence belonged to a Phantasmal Species.
• Lin said the captain remained concerned about the low-sequence figure and named Ser, prince of the Thirteen Nations, as a nuisance.
• Waver tried to learn about Professor Rimuru's secret order from Ye Xiaoqian while Ye Xiaoqian played games with the Conqueror.
• Jiang Rui reviewed the eliminated Servants and compared the strength of the remaining Heroic Spirits, including Yuki Onna and the Snow Woman.
• Jiang Rui considered his last trump card and remembered that hostile observers were still watching his group.

After playing games with Ye Xiaoqian, the Great Emperor received his modern clothes and tried to leave the house without pants. Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian went shopping, but their cheerful outing grew tense as they passed the ruins of the previous night's hotel explosion, each seeming to have something to tell the other.

• Ye Xiaoqian beat the Great Emperor at strategy games, and they joked about how game tactics would fare in real warfare.
• The Great Emperor collected a mail-order shirt and tried to head out, while Waver scolded him for appearing in public and reminded him to put on pants.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian discussed the Great Emperor's wish to live in the modern world, and Jiang Rui invited her to go shopping.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian walked through the city center, where crowds and reporters gathered near the hotel district damaged by the previous night's explosion.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian fell silent among the ruins, each sensing that the other had something to say.

Jiang Rui asked Ye Xiaoqian about her intelligence network and learned that she wanted him to join her underground organization, Sprout. The chapter ended with him asking whether Sprout had a defected Number Twenty-Four test subject.

• Jiang Rui wondered whether Ye Xiaoqian could provide information about his official records and status, but hesitated to ask.
• Great Sage advised Jiang Rui to let Ye Xiaoqian make the first move in their negotiation.
• Ye Xiaoqian teased Jiang Rui, then explained that her organization specialized in intelligence transmission and invited him to join.
• Jiang Rui asked the organization's name, and Ye Xiaoqian told him it was called Sprout.
• Jiang Rui asked Ye Xiaoqian whether Sprout had a defected Number Twenty-Four test subject.

Ye Xiaoqian invited Jiang Rui to join Sprout, explaining that it was both an intelligence organization and a six-person team pursuing the Void. Jiang Rui declined because he intended to form his own team, but Ye Xiaoqian offered to share the Light Chasers’ internal information about him after they returned from this world.

• Ye Xiaoqian described Sprout’s far-reaching membership and clarified that its six-person team was separate from the larger intelligence organization.
• Ye Xiaoqian invited Jiang Rui to join the team, saying its members trusted one another and shared the goal of reaching the Void.
• Jiang Rui thanked Ye Xiaoqian but refused, explaining that he planned to form his own team.
• Ye Xiaoqian accepted his answer and said she looked forward to working with his team in the future.
• Jiang Rui asked for internal Light Chasers intelligence about himself, and Ye Xiaoqian said Ling Ling would update his file after they returned from this world.

Ye Xiaoqian explained the differences between Town Mountain River and the Light Chasers while Jiang Rui unexpectedly met Kirei Kotomine at a restaurant. Kirei delivered Ling’s message about exchanging for Jiang Rui’s body, then left pondering his motives for the Holy Grail War.

• Ye Xiaoqian described Town Mountain River as a brutal force targeting international provocations and the Light Chasers as a disciplined military organization.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian spotted Kirei Kotomine eating Mapo Tofu and sat down nearby.
• Kirei approached their table, revealed five Command Seals, and said Ling had chosen him as Archer’s Master because their compatibility was better.
• Kirei told Jiang Rui that Ling had asked him to pass along a greeting and to bring Command Seals if he wanted to exchange for his body.
• Kirei asked Jiang Rui why he had joined the Holy Grail War, then concluded that Kiritsugu Emiya was special and returned to his meal.

Jiang Rui and his allies discussed the brewing conflict around Mad Dogs while settling into their new villa. Their plans were interrupted by a Servant’s arrival: Yuki Onna appeared, and Karna held his spear to her neck.

• Jiang Rui decided to observe the situation before making a move against Mad Dogs, while Ye Xiaoqian suggested keeping watch for an opportunity.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian returned to the suburban villa Oakley had secured, where Lucy was sulking over Oakley’s treatment of the owner.
• Oakley revealed that he had been attacked by nameless people after entering their territory, and Karna warned Jiang Rui that a Servant was approaching.
• Lucy said Einzbern was at the castle and Mad Dogs had shown no sign of recruiting them, while Ye Xiaoqian remarked on Mad Dogs’ confidence.
• Yuki Onna appeared in the living room, and Karna thrust his spear to her neck; she greeted Jiang Rui as her Master.

Jiang Rui weighed whether to ally with Yuki Onna and Snow Woman as the Light Chasers began attacking Mad Dogs at Einzbern Castle. The chapter ended with Yuki Onna learning that Lin, the Light Chasers’ vice-captain, was known as the Wife-Protecting Maniac.

• Kiritsugu Emiya hesitated over Mad Dogs’ plan to modify the Lesser Grail as Ser warned him that someone had infiltrated Einzbern Castle.
• Ling Ling led her squad through the castle’s defenses, where Ser unleashed a swarm of autonomous robots and the first clash began.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian fought the robots while Jiang Rui questioned Yuki Onna about joining forces with them.
• Yuki Onna and Snow Woman offered their strength, but Jiang Rui warned that the Light Chasers might still target them.
• Yuki Onna’s confidence faltered when Jiang Rui told her that Lin was nicknamed the Wife-Protecting Maniac.

Jiang Rui decided to work with Yuki Onna and the others to disrupt Mad Dogs and retrieve the fragments from Ling Ling. As they arrived at Kiritsugu Emiya’s territory, Ser prepared a trap in the castle basement for the gathered teams.

• Jiang Rui changed his mind about leaving, agreed to cause trouble that night, and planned to contact Ling Ling with a familiar to get the fragments back.
• Yuki Onna reluctantly agreed to go with Jiang Rui, while Lucy stayed behind to guard the house.
• Jiang Rui’s group reached Kiritsugu Emiya’s territory and found the surrounding forest damaged by explosives, which Oakley identified as alarm devices.
• In the castle basement, Ser asked Inkman how long Pocket Factory could hold out and ordered robots to lure the attackers together.
• Ser prepared self-destructing RT56 units and watched images of the Light Chasers, Tyrant, and other teams, declaring that science would overcome mystery.

Lin breached the Mad Dogs’ systems and revealed the location of their Pocket Factory, while Jiang Rui’s team chose to turn against Saber instead of reinforcing their allies. The chapter left Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian bickering as Oakley reflected that their group felt like a team.

• Lin took control of the castle’s information nodes, overwhelmed Inkman’s mental projection, and revealed that the Mad Dogs had a Pocket Factory on the second floor.
• Ling Ling stopped the autonomous counterattack AIs as they retreated toward the castle, and Lin noted that the Mad Dogs had no Mechanic.
• Ye Xiaoqian learned that Kirei Kotomine had joined Karna and Snow Woman, and Jiang Rui explained that Kirei was acting according to his own will.
• Oakley confronted Jiang Rui about provoking Rimuru and Ling Ling while Jiang Rui’s team prepared to backstab Saber instead of helping their allies.
• Jiang Rui admitted that he had acted deliberately, and Ye Xiaoqian grabbed him while Oakley watched their bickering.

Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian discussed the danger of angering Ling Ling while Jiang Rui observed her abilities through his avatar. Meanwhile, Kirei Kotomine and his allies attacked Kiritsugu Emiya, leaving Saber to face Karna as another Servant watched from above.

• Ye Xiaoqian fretted that Ling Ling might report her to authorities, while Jiang Rui refused her implied attempt to recruit him.
• Jiang Rui connected his mind to his avatar to observe Ling Ling's abilities.
• Kiritsugu Emiya sent Irisviel to shelter as communications failed and Snow Woman's snowfall froze the area.
• Saber appeared and used Wind Hammer to disperse the snow, then turned to fight Karna as Kiritsugu dodged his spear with Time Alter.
• Kiritsugu realized Tyrant had been defeated and his Servant taken, while Kirei Kotomine presented the attack on him as a play for the golden Archer.

Kiritsugu Emiya’s escape from Kirei Kotomine brought him into conflict with Yuki Onna, and an Origin Bullet wounded Kirei before Kiritsugu fled. Meanwhile, Jiang Rui’s group headed to support Ling Ling, where Jiang Rui discovered he could briefly interfere with Olyric’s control over blood.

• Yuki Onna searched for Irisviel, blasted through walls, and was wounded when Kiritsugu Emiya shot her with an explosive round.
• Kiritsugu Emiya mistook Yuki Onna for Caster’s Master and fired an Origin Bullet at her, but she switched places with Kirei Kotomine, who took the hit and used a Command Seal to recover.
• Kiritsugu Emiya escaped through a window, and Kirei Kotomine chased him while Yuki Onna resumed her search for Irisviel.
• Jiang Rui’s group chose to honor their agreement with Ling Ling and travel to Mad Dogs’ location to provide support.
• Olyric killed a group of intruders and absorbed their blood, while Jiang Rui briefly seized control of some of it, alarming Olyric.

Jiang Rui, Ye Xiaoqian, and Olyric survived a nuclear-scale blast, while Ling Ling and her group endured Ser’s attack on the manor. Ser then struck them from orbit, leaving Ling Ling’s group searching for his location.

• Jiang Rui’s Divine Barrier cracked under the blast, and Olyric shielded Jiang Rui, Ye Xiaoqian, and himself with blood until the explosion passed.
• Olyric sent bats to retrieve the surviving loot cards and said he needed to kill people to replenish his blood.
• Ling Ling confronted Ser at the manor, but discovered that his apparent body was a projection made from nanoscopic machines.
• Ser detonated another blast, and Lin cast Divine Barrier to protect Ling Ling and the others as the fortress was destroyed.
• Ling Ling identified Ser as the attacker firing from orbital space, and the group tried to locate him as white beams rained down.

Jiang Rui joined Lin and Ling Ling’s fight against the Light Chasers as Gaia watched the battle from space and sent down armor that Ser used to attack. The conflict escalated when Lin revealed his Sequence 6 power and Olyric killed a Tyrant team member, leaving Big Baby threatening retaliation.

• Jiang Rui arrived as an ally, and Su Xi began splitting the ground to open a path underground.
• Gaia noticed the battle, recognized Alaya’s aura and a child of nature, then sent a suit of armor hurtling toward Earth.
• Ser attacked Ling Ling and her allies with his armor and light cannons, while Lin shielded Ling Ling and fought back.
• Lin revealed himself as the Sword Bearer, Sequence 6, and struck down the spear-wielding woman despite Big Baby trying to protect her.
• Olyric confronted Big Baby as Lin distributed halos that granted the Magic Goddess’s blessing and faster mana recovery.

Jiang Rui watched his allies battle the Mad Dogs and reflected on how their different abilities overcame the enemy’s defenses. After Great Sage urged him to keep acquiring and mastering abilities rather than choosing between breadth and specialization, Jiang Rui turned his attention back to the fight.

• Ye Xiaoqian and the loli fought at high speed, but the loli’s phantom armor stopped Ye Xiaoqian’s attacks.
• Jiang Rui and Ye Xiaoqian coordinated an attack on the loli, but their strikes failed to pierce her defense and she countered with cannon fire.
• Lin cut through the Mad Dogs’ defenses and killed their opponents with his greatsword.
• Jiang Rui considered whether to pursue specialization or breadth while watching Lin’s performance and thinking about his own undeveloped skills.
• Great Sage told Jiang Rui that acquiring abilities cost him nothing and encouraged him to train every ability to the extreme.
• Jiang Rui raised his hand toward the battle and called upon the Lord of Thunder to judge his enemies.

Jiang Rui used a divine chant to summon a devastating storm, awakening new nature-related abilities and leaving Ser and the others stunned by its power. As Jiang Rui ran out of mana, his allies held their position while the storm continued to threaten the battlefield.

• Jiang Rui summoned rain and thunder while Lin and Ling Ling struggled against Ser’s armor, and the rain let him sense the emotions and conditions around him.
• Gaia recognized nature’s anger on Jiang Rui’s behalf and lent him the earth’s power, helping him awaken Rain Domain, Tear Domain, Wrath of Nature, and the Child of Nature passive.
• Jiang Rui’s mana ran dry as a full lightning storm gathered, and Lin stopped buffing him, saying even he could not withstand the attack.
• Ser questioned whether Jiang Rui’s storm was aimed at him, while Ling Ling recalled Jiang Rui’s earlier promise to Lin and Xia Muling that he would eventually return to Xia Country.
• Big Baby tried to approach Jiang Rui but was stopped by Olyric, who said not to disturb him and noted that four Sequence 6s had gathered to deal with them.

Jiang Rui unleashed a massive lightning attack against Ser, while Ling Ling, Lin, and Ye Xiaoqian fought on below. Iskandar intervened to protect Saber and invited the assembled kings to drink together and debate the king's path.

• Jiang Rui struck Ser with a sweeping barrage of lightning, and Ser was swallowed by the attack.
• Ling Ling asked Lin whether he had let Jiang Rui break the rules, and Lin said Jiang Rui was exhausted.
• Ye Xiaoqian mocked Ser's supposed defeat, but Ser's teammate declared that Ser was invincible and attacked her with the Weapon Arsenal's Ion Pulse Wheel.
• Iskandar explained that he had come to help eliminate the Magician Killer but had also chosen to save Saber, while Gilgamesh denied intervening.
• Iskandar invited Saber, Gilgamesh, Karna, and Yuki Onna to drink together and asked them what the king's path was.

Jiang Rui used Gaia’s power to weaken Big Baby, then told Ling Ling he would let her faction leave. As Ser emerged from the wreckage, Ling Ling and Xia Muling revealed that Mad Dogs had planned to alter the Holy Grail and destroy Gaia, while Jiang Rui urged everyone to move on as trouble arose near Karna.

• Jiang Rui’s strike with the earth’s power left Big Baby badly weakened, but Olyric realized the man was linked to the lightning and prepared to attack again.
• Jiang Rui told Ling Ling that their positions were aligned and promised to let her faction leave; Ling Ling agreed to hold back the following night.
• Ser crawled out of the wreckage and found that nearly all his forces were dead, with Inkman the only surviving member besides him.
• Ling Ling confronted Ser about the psionic explosives planted throughout Fuyuki City, and Xia Muling revealed that Mad Dogs had planned to modify the Holy Grail, detonate ley lines, and turn the magi against Gaia.
• Jiang Rui questioned whether the confrontation was over and warned that something was happening near Karna.

Jiang Rui urged Ling Ling to settle the conflict with the Mad Dogs, while she weighed the risks after losing contact with Kirei Kotomine. Ser asked his team whether they would retreat or seek revenge, and the chapter ended with one Mad Dog refusing to die for the fight.

• Jiang Rui realized that Gaia had helped him despite his vow to Alaya, and he asked Ling Ling to act after Karna reported trouble.
• Ling Ling considered her lost control over Gilgamesh and gave Ser one final chance to abandon the mission and leave.
• Ser refused, asked the Mad Dogs whether they would retreat or take revenge, and Lin healed and strengthened the team with rainbow-colored light.
• Olyric recognized that he could absorb others' attributes and mocked Big Baby as a source of vitality.
• A bearded Mad Dog refused to die, planted his virtual energy shield in the ground, and chose to retreat.

Ser and Mad Dogs used Exemption Cards to leave after Ling Ling defeated them, and the Light Chasers regrouped on the battlefield. Jiang Rui and his companions headed back, while Ling Ling asked them to tell Kirei Kotomine to return.

• Big Baby chose retreat over risking his life, while Loli agreed to do whatever Jiang Rui decided.
• Ling Ling shattered Ser's phantom, and Ser admitted defeat and ordered Loli, Inkman, and Big Baby to use their Exemption Cards.
• Before departing, Ser told Jiang Rui that Mad Dogs would offer congratulations when the Tyrant was crowned.
• Ling Ling explained that Mad Dogs would not actively seek revenge, and Olyric joined the Light Chasers as they prepared to return.
• Ling Ling asked the group to tell Kirei Kotomine to get back, while Jiang Rui joked with Ye Xiaoqian about Ling Ling and Lin.

Kiritsugu Emiya escaped after Kirei Kotomine survived a devastating attack, while Jiang Rui's group confronted Kirei and captured Irisviel. Jiang Rui discovered Avalon hidden inside Irisviel, leaving her injured and the group with the artifact.

• Kirei Kotomine survived the explosion by using Command Seals, but Kiritsugu Emiya and Saber retreated before Gilgamesh arrived.
• Jiang Rui's group found Kirei Kotomine questioning Irisviel, and Ye Xiaoqian attacked him with a dagger.
• Yuki Onna kicked Kirei Kotomine away, and Jiang Rui bound Irisviel to a tree while telling him she had helped Kiritsugu Emiya voluntarily.
• Jiang Rui asked Irisviel about Sola, then reached into her chest and pulled out Avalon.